The hand tightened around my throat. "Tell me!"

"Mik!" All of a sudden, Cleo burst through the door and headed straight for Micaiah. The buff man didn't waste any time in wrenching a steaming and furious Mik away. And as if on cue, I landed dizzily on my feet before I was able to regain my bearings in time to watch Micaiah glare heatedly at me.

"Get back to your senses, Mik," Cleo reproached before briefly darting his gaze towards me, saying in a low voice, "She doesn't know anything."

Micaiah didn't seem convinced. "How can you be so sure?" He sneered in a way that unknowingly caused my insides to churn, but I held my expression firm, the burning sensation where his hands had throttled dwindling. "They look exactly alike. This is the closest lead we've got in nineteen freaking years!"

"Shut the hell up and listen to me," Cleo said through gritted teeth, shifting closer to Mik's tensed figure in order to speak in a softer register. Yet even so, I could hear every word, and a nagging sense told me he somehow knew that too despite his actions. "I've been following her. She doesn't know anything, trust me."

I stiffened at the revelation. "What?"

"You're sure?" For the first time since Cleo came out, Micaiah turned his focus away from me, settling it sceptically on the man having a strong grip on his collar.

Cleo, whom I'd almost assumed to have been close to an acquaintance of sorts, cast me another quick sideways glance before releasing Micaiah's shirt. "Yes."

I could hardly believe my ears. "You've been following me?"

He waited a while before nodding, his expression as stoic as ever. "Yes, I have."

"Son of a..." I muttered in surprise and disappointment as I leaned away from the wall, anger increasingly ebbing away the shock that had engulfed my system just moments ago. "I can't believe you, Cleo. I actually thought you could be trustworthy."

"I didn't do it because I thought you were a psycho, Lena, so cut out the vulnerability. This is no time to act like the damsel." He wasted no time to indulge in pitiful excuses and chose to cut to the chase. "We need your help."

I reeled back in disbelief and doubled anger. "Are you serious? You just admitted to stalking me and this jerk almost succeeded in suffocating the hell out of me and you have the guts to judge me for acting the way I am? Not to mention demanding for my help?" I shook my head in incredulity. "Go to hell. Both of you."

Cleo narrowed his eyes and took a threatening step forward. Micaiah, however, just watched the exchange with increasing frustration. "I don't have time for this, Cleo," he gritted out impatiently. "Will the witch help us or not?"

"Go sleep with a-"

"She will."

Cleo's intervention had me practically blowing off steam. "The hell I will! Who do you think you are?"

"Someone who knows you don't have a choice in the matter," he replied with no sort of reaction to my outburst, approaching me with a familiar golden glint in his eyes that had me unconsciously backing into the wall.

"That's it. I'm leaving. You two stay away from me," I warned with a threatening finger before veering sideways to make my way down the street and away from all that nonsense.

"Do not move any farther." Cleo grabbed my arm, preventing me from taking another step, and swiftly turned me around to shove my forgotten shades in my face. "You're coming with us."

Resignation caused me to jerk away from his grip as I rightened my shades to cover my eyes, purposely refusing to thank him for the reminder. "I said no! I'm not helping any of you with whatever you want so leave me the hell alone!"

Micaiah finally stepped in and grabbed my shoulders, his slightly glowing pupils causing my hard resolve to lessen in a fleeting moment of fright as he cast his intense gaze onto mine. I shifted my gaze away - not in intimidation - but to glance around and see if we were being watched by any nosy passersby. I didn't give a flying fig of what they thought anymore, but that didn't mean I wanted them snooping around in my business.

Turning my attention back to Micaiah, I shook myself to release my shoulders of his hold, but his hands didn't budge. The abrupt movements only caused me pain. "Look, Kid, we don't have time to mess around, alright? Apparently, we need you. And I'm damn sure you need us too."

I glared at him with all the anger I could muster. "And what makes you think that I need your help? In fact, what makes you think I need any help? I don't remember telling you-"

"Et Kar," Mik interrupted with an unwavering look, applying slight pressure to his hold. "Does that name ring any bells to you?"

If he only knew had been my initial thought. But after his question had dawned, my next sudden thought was: where on earth did he get that name from?

Hearing the Shadow King's name being uttered out loud by someone other than I made me involuntarily stiffen before I couldn't help it.

Unluckily, Micaiah caught on the action with a wry smile. "I thought so."

The jerk let go of my shoulders, believing that he'd gotten to me by voicing that name only, which he had, and swept a keen eye around us before saying, "We should talk about this somewhere else. That demon shadow could be listening in on our conversation right now. It's not safe here."

"And who says I'm going anywhere with you?" I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest, although I knew that I'd probably give in and present them a chance to tell me how much they knew about Et Kar.

Cleo had somehow picked onto that way before Mik had mentioned his name, so I couldn't say it surprised me when he leaned forward and placed a piece of paper from his pocket into my palm. "Meet us there."

I made a move to open the paper but both Micaiah and Cleo immediately clasped my fingers together so tightly it made me flinch. "Hey!"

"Are you insane?" Micaiah hissed at the same time Cleo reprimanded with narrowed eyes, "Open it only when you get home."

I snatched my hands away and glared at them. I also had it in mind to question why I couldn't open up the small sheet until I got home, but I guessed that I would found out when I arrived. No need to prolong unnecessary conversation with them.

"How do I know I'm not being deceived here?"

"We're not giving you a choice, Kid. Just do as we say if you want answers just as much as we do." Mik flexed his shoulder blades tersely and walked away, not looking back even as he tossed his last words over his shoulder, "You won't regret it."

I frowned and clenched the piece of paper in my palm. Addressing Cleo, I declared firmly, eyes still affixed on Mik's retreating back. "I'll try to help with whatever only if you tell me everything you know about Et Kar."

"It's a deal. You'll know everything when we meet again." Cleo nodded once. "I have to go inside," he added as he strode towards the front door and opened it, sending me one last glance - which I could've sworn held a fleeting look of remorse - before disappearing.

I clenched my jaws in distrust and growing anger, but then I let go of the building hatred and turned towards my own destination.

☆~☆~☆

I couldn't sleep.

Eyeing the digital clock perched on the nightstand, I sighed.

11:37 PM.

The note had said that Micaiah and Cleo would meet me at my house just after midnight. I had no idea why on earth they had chosen where I lived to gather, especially when we all knew that he'd surely be listening to our every conversation. But I also knew that I wouldn't get any answers until they showed up, so I let it rest and left my front door unlocked.

However, I couldn't shake off the creepiness that there was obviously something about those two. The way their eyes had appeared to change colour - something that I hadn't noticed in Cleo before - and not forgetting their knowledge on the Shadow King.

Freaking hell. Maybe, in an inexplicable way, they were like me, as I didn't pick Et Kar for one who'd just expose his existence to anyone. At least to anyone normal. Unfortunately, that was all I thought I knew about that Shadow Bender. Although after this night, I certainly hoped to know more. Just to know something that I might be able to use to my advantage and eventually get him off my back.

Suddenly fed up with my body's refusal to go on standby even for a few minutes, I tossed the covers aside and got off the bed, sliding my feet into my slippers. However, before I could cross the distance between my bed and the door leading to the hallway, something weird made me pause.

Something weirdly familiar.

My eyes widened and I immediately span on my heels, instinctively facing the French doors that led to the balcony. That was when I saw again the undeniable silhouette of him since the previous night.

That stranger. The one who'd literally made me burn inside out and almost die of suffocation.

He had barely occupied my thoughts throughout the rest of the day as I was too anxious about the meet with Cleo and Mik. But at that very moment, all memories of what his presence and his strange words had erupted inside me resurfaced.

This sudden bombardment had me staggering backwards until I willed my body to get a hold of itself.

Still, I continued to stare at his enchanting silhouette in stunned silence until the intruder decided he'd had enough of the quietness and slowly pried the French doors open. He didn't bother to close them after he'd stepped in and I shivered as a cool breeze caressed my exposed arms and legs.

His presence in my bedroom was nothing short of uneasy, but I pressed my lips together and raised my chin in defiance. "You're not welcome here."

The intruder narrowed his eyes and moved further into the room, gradually suffocating the atmosphere with his advancement and making it hard to breathe smoothly. "I don't need your permission to enter."

"This is trespassing." I crossed my arms over my chest and ignored his impending proximity. "What do you want?"

"I told you to meet me in the shed the last time we met."

He did? I wracked my brain for a confirmation but it came up with nothing of the sort. So instead, I shrugged and feigned nonchalance.

"Well, I forgot. Besides the night's not over yet, so I'll give you an opportunity to state what you want then I expect you to leave."

"What's that smell?" The wolf-man didn't pay me any heed as he ignored my statement and took a whiff of the room. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Smells like..."

"Hey!" I held out my hand in front of his frame and spoke aloud to get his attention once more. He had unknowingly sauntered closer to me and for the umpteenth time, the closeness set my nerves in a discomforting frenzy. "Where do you think you're going?"

He stopped his little investigation and shot me an impatient look. The scar marring his face became even more prominent.

"I'm trying to figure out a certain scent your house harbours," he explained with a frown, but shook his head in dismissal after a while of contemplation. "Hell, that's not important right now. Come on, I'll wait with you downstairs for those damn Witch Hunters to-"

"Excuse me?"

Wait with me? Witch Hunters? The hell?

I vaguely heard him sigh in annoyance. "Are you that clueless?"

His words made me bristle and mimic his exasperated expression. "Don't insult me here. You're the one making a mistake." At least I hoped it was. "And how on earth do you know that anyone would be here? Still spying on me like almost everyone else is?"

He didn't answer, much to my frustration. Though he did confess to spying on me the other night, it didn't click as to how he'd have known the venue since the only evidence of that was on a piece of paper that had been under my watch.

Nevertheless, I let it drop, his silence proving that it would be worthless trying to get any answers from him, even though my curiosity was still piqued.

"Fine, whatever. Just leave my house."

"I can't do that," he replied, reducing the amount of space between us with each step forward, which subsequently led to cutting my air supply. "Look, I know you want answers, but those two demons and I are the only ones that can give them to you. You don't really have a choice, so I suggest you accept your fate now."

Accept my fate? I repeated inwardly with disdain while I took a step back to think clearly. Why the hell did they all think that I didn't have a choice? If it weren't for the fact that I really needed more information about the enemy, I would've empowered them with my sight long ago.

Except, that was another baffling issue. My deadly eyes had no effect on any of them. Why? I wasn't so sure. Maybe it might be due to the fact that neither of them were normal human beings.

I could accept that - seeing as I wasn't so normal myself - but then there remained the puzzling mystery surrounding Cleo and Micaiah, one which this wolf-man in front of me had pieced only a small part by referring to them as "Witch Hunters" and "demons".

The reference to them as demons could've likely been an insult, though that would entail that he was acquainted with them in some sort of way.

Damn, that bloody wolf-man was right. I was as clueless and conflicted as they came but I'd be damned if I allowed myself to remain in the dark for long.

Silently berating fate for pulling me into this mess, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them to face the male specimen before me.

He watched me with a curious gaze, as if trying to unravel me, but then blinked and looked away when he realized that my eyes were now focused on him.

I brushed away the foreign feeling creeping up my neck and jumped slightly when he spoke. "Let's get going."

My hand shot out instinctively to grab his arm. "Wait!"

The beast hesitated but didn't turn to face me.

For just a flicker of a second, I became unsure if he'd bother to answer the question that had sprung into my mind just seconds after he'd spoken. However, I reckoned later that it wouldn't hurt to try. So not wasting any more time, I licked my lips and inquired hesitantly, fingers still halfway wrapped unnecessarily around his thick bicep. "Will you give me a name first?"

He didn't turn around, but I felt his muscles stiffen underneath my touch at the question. His voice also held a weird accusatory tone to it when he'd answered my question with one of his own, "Why do you want to know?"

I lifted my right shoulder and let it drop consciously. "Every face should have a name. And it looks like you won't be leaving my side any time soon, I figured it wouldn't harm you if you gave one to me. Fake or otherwise."

He didn't say anything right away, merely stood and continued to breathe in deeply, as if my words or my simple touch affected him in some way. Meanwhile, I watched in distraction - for a second of course - the uneven designs that the bright light the crescent moon in the night sky patterned lazily across his chiselled back, along with the shadows. With the French doors still opened, it made the design less blurry and stand out even more.

I was momentarily caught up in the scene that I didn't even notice that he'd spoken aloud until I felt the bass in his voice reverberate through my small contact with his body.

I looked up in surprise. "What did you say?"

He glared and snatched his arm away. "You weren't even paying attention."

"I got distracted for a minute," I argued in defence.

"That's not my problem." He shrugged his shoulders then began to walk towards the door.

Sighing in frustration, I moved begrudgingly to follow him out the door when his voice stopped me: "It's Lucifer."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Lucifer," I repeated with a small amused smile, unable to help myself. "It kind of suits you, you know."

In response, he cleared his throat in what appeared to be mild discomfort before swinging the door open. "Let's just meet those Hunters."

☆~☆~☆

🎉🎉Merry Belated Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance!🎉🎉

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